July 19, 2024
This year, the Family Room at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days is teaching visitors ways to make time for a healthy lifestyle with a series of fun, interactive exhibits planned by educators from Penn State Extension’s Food, Families and Communities and Pesticide Education teams.
July 19, 2024
Troy Sutton, assistant professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State, has been awarded a Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Early Career Chair in Virology.
July 19, 2024
H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was first detected in dairy cattle in Texas on March 25 and has since spread to several additional states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed multiple human infections in which the individuals were exposed to infected dairy cattle. Penn State News spoke with Ruth Nissly, assistant research professor of veterinary and biomedical sciences, to learn more about how scientists are monitoring the H5N1 virus.
July 19, 2024
John Hayes, professor of food science and director of the Sensory Evaluation Center in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, has been appointed to the external scientific advisory board of the newly established National Smell and Taste Center at the National Institutes of Health.
July 18, 2024
As the number of major utility-scale ground solar panel installations grows, concerns about their impacts on natural hydrologic processes also have grown. However, a new study by Penn State researchers suggests that excess runoff or increased erosion can be easily mitigated — if these “solar farms” are properly built.
July 17, 2024
Interested in exploring safety topics central to the everyday lives of farmers, farm workers and their families? Visitors to the Farm Safety Demonstration Area at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 13-15, can learn about the hazards of all-terrain vehicles and ways to minimize the risk of rollovers.
July 15, 2024
In living out the Alumni Association’s mission, affiliate groups and inspiring volunteers give back to their communities, support current and future Penn State students, and unite Nittany Lions across the country and around the world. The seven individuals and 11 groups that comprise this year’s class of Volunteer Award recipients represent the best of Penn State’s alumni volunteers.
July 15, 2024
Dave Abler, professor of agricultural, environmental and regional economics and demography, has been appointed head of the Department of Agricultural Economics, Sociology, and Education at Penn State, effective August 1.
July 15, 2024
The discovery of a hybrid population of poplar trees in western Wyoming has provided insight into how natural hybridization informs the evolution of many plant species, according to a team led by Penn State researchers. They also said their discovery, which was published in the journal Molecular Ecology, suggests that genetic exchange between species may be critical for adaptation to environmental change.
July 11, 2024
The Pennsylvania General Assembly has passed a state budget that maintains Penn State’s general support appropriation at $242.1 million for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which began July 1. The budget package, which now heads to Gov. Josh Shapiro for his anticipated signature, includes a funding increase of $4 million (13%) for Pennsylvania College of Technology, level funding of $57.7 million for Penn State Agricultural Research and Extension, and restores line-item funding of $2.35 million for Invent Penn State.
July 11, 2024
The Institute of Energy and the Environment has revamped its research themes to better align them with the energy and environmental research being done at Penn State and to recognize the importance of community and justice.
July 11, 2024
Farmers and others involved in production agriculture looking to explore the latest agricultural goods, services, equipment and technology can find everything they need at Penn State’s 2024 Ag Progress Days.
July 10, 2024
In May, 21 Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences students, mostly undergraduates, embarked on a unique learning journey to Italy, studying grape growing, vinification and wine marketing.
July 9, 2024
Mathias Martins has been named head of the virology and molecular diagnostics sections in Penn State's Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, effective July 15. Martins will join Penn State from the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory in College Station, Texas.
July 8, 2024
As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 13 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
July 8, 2024
American diets may have gotten healthier and more diverse in the months following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. They published their findings in PLOS ONE.
July 8, 2024
The U.S. Department of State has commended the Ag Sciences Global office in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences for its exceptional commitment to organizing the 2024 Gilman Global Food Security Seminar Series.
July 5, 2024
A July 17 Penn State Extension land-use webinar is aimed at equipping planners with the knowledge and tools needed to improve rural communities’ responses to homelessness.
July 5, 2024
For Katie Stanley, joining the Penn State Extension Master Watershed Steward volunteer program in 2019 was a perfect complement to her day job as an interpretative naturalist for Allegheny County Parks.
July 3, 2024
The Arboretum at Penn State has been recognized with an international award for sustainable landscape architecture for its Pollinator and Bird Garden. The garden was awarded the A+ International Jury Award for Sustainability for Landscapes by Architizer, an online platform for architects and designers.
July 1, 2024
László Kulcsár has been appointed senior associate dean of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, effective July 1.
June 27, 2024
As part of our regular “We Are!” feature, we recognize 14 Penn Staters who have gone above and beyond what’s asked of them in their work at the University.
June 26, 2024
The Himalayan ShePower project, created by graduate students in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, is designed to help smallholder farmers in Nepal earn extra income by producing paper from rhino waste.
June 26, 2024
When Sloan Householder, of Richmond, Virginia, decided to pursue higher education in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, she was understandably nervous about navigating a large university. A first-year seminar class created with first-generation students like her in mind made all the difference during Householder’s first year.
June 26, 2024
Cacao, the chocolate tree, is one of the world’s most important economic crops, generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually. However, cocoa is affected by a range of pests and diseases, with some estimates putting losses as high as 30% to 40% of global production. Now, a team led by researchers at Penn State has created a genetic information resource to help plant breeders develop resistant strains of cacao that can be grown sustainably in its native Amazon and elsewhere, such as the tropical latitudes of Central and South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.
June 25, 2024
Women experiencing opioid-use disorders may face unique challenges accessing treatment, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. The study provides new insight into how pregnancy and parenting can make getting medications for these disorders particularly difficult.
June 25, 2024
The availability and adoption of high-speed broadband appears to boost the number of farms offering agritourism activities, according to a new study led by Penn State researchers. Their findings, the researchers said, bolster the argument for expanding broadband availability in support of farm operators who want to benefit from the growing consumer interest in on-farm experiences.
June 20, 2024
Penn State Extension, in collaboration with Cornell University, recently produced four “learn-now” videos aimed at educating grape growers about clean grapevines.
June 20, 2024
Thanks to the dedicated efforts of Penn State Extension educators and their network, the football field at Westinghouse Academy in Pittsburgh has been transformed into a safe facility that promises to be a game-changer for the community.
June 13, 2024
The Penn State Dairy Products Evaluation Team recently competed in the Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest in Milwaukee, placing high in several categories.
